Outside Looking In
by teamjacob0729
Summary: A short story, post BD AU. Inspired by Adele's song "Hello." BxJ


This short story is POST-BD AU. You'll figure it out as you go on. I absolutely adore Adele's song _Hello_. As I was driving into work today, I thought, surely this can inspire a great JxB one shot. It's not a happy one though. Enjoy.

Rated T. You should definitely listen to the song. Lots of people say it, and I don't always do it. But you should do it this time. ;) TJ

Hello?

 _Hello? It's me._

What?

 _Are you busy?_

Yes.

 _Ok. I'm sorry._

Yeah.

*Click*

* * *

 _Hello?_

Hello? Can you hear me?

 _Sigh._

I'm sorry.

 _You already said that._

But I'm sorry.

 _I gotta go._

 _*Click*_

* * *

"Hello," she whispered, as she stepped out onto the cliff behind him, staring at his back.

"You shouldn't be here," he answered.

"I wanted to see you. Neither of us have a lot of time," she said, barely a breath.

He sniffed. "I think you have all the time in the world. It's me that doesn't have time."

"Jake…"

"What? Did vampires suddenly become mortal? I may not be a wolf anymore but I'm pretty sure that hasn't changed in the last 70 years," he wheezed. "Why are you really here? I told you I didn't want to see you again."

"I came to say I was sorry. All those years ago. I was wrong."

"Do you think that changes anything? I've lived my life. I watched my friends grow up, get married, and have children. Have grandchildren. Die. 'Sorry' isn't going to do anything for me."

"Can I sit with you?"

"I can't stop you and I'm sure you'd just follow me if I got back up," he growled at her.

"I know that this is too little, too late," she started, as she picked on microscopic loose threads on her pants. "But, I regret not listening to you all those years ago. My _life_ is pointless. I have also watched everyone I love die. Almost everyone. Soon, there will be no one left and what was it all for? When we left…when I left, my heart broke. Changing never fixed that. The time away from you never fixed it. I've always wanted to talk to you. I've watched you from the other side of that damned treaty line and the 'hello' has caught in my throat." She sniffled.

He glanced over at her and knew that he would never see her shed another tear. He knew that decades ago.

"Take a walk with me?" He asked.

Swiftly, she stood and waited, while the aged version of the man she'd deeply loved her entire life…existence, got to his feet. She handed him the walking stick he'd left on the ground. He clambered down the path back to his old beat up truck. She watched as little puffs of breath blew out of his mouth as he made his way into the driver's seat.

"Are you getting in or not?" He questioned as he started the engine. Without looking at her, he started backing the truck up. As quick as a blink, she was in the seat beside him.

"I thought we were taking a walk."

"We did. Now we're taking a drive."

They sat in silence as Jake drove them through the res. He pulled up in front of a rusted iron gate and Bella waited patiently as he made his way to the overgrown footpath. She let her eyes trace over his body. The slow gait, with the obvious pain in his joints. The labored breaths. The pallor of his skin. It saddened her to see that he was dying. All humans were on their way to death eventually, but his would be soon. Hours? Days? Weeks? She wasn't sure. It hurt her chest. Her heart? Did she even have one when hers didn't even beat anymore?

He stopped at a tombstone. Holding tightly to the walking stick, he leaned down and yanked at some weeds that were sticking up.

"Let me help," she said softly, reaching down and pulling back the weeds with a soft gasp. She knew that he had married. She also knew they never had children.

 **Leah Clearwater Black**

He didn't speak. Just reached down and patted the stone, muttering under his breath, even words Bella couldn't make out with her supernatural hearing. Her eyes gazed around, falling on the stones of the others she had known. There was space beside Leah and she assumed that Jake wanted to be buried there beside her.

In her sickest fantasies, she'd pictured them beside each other for eternity. There was no one left that even knew she existed. That she loved him. That he loved her. That they were imprinted. That they would want to be buried together was a secret that would die on her breath. It wasn't going to happen. She lost all privileges when she'd married Edward Cullen and left him.

"Okay, I'm ready," he announced, as he turned as headed back to his truck. She got in the passenger seat again.

When he pulled into the yard of the little red house, she was surprised. This much she didn't know. That he still lived in the house he'd grown up in. The only house she considered her home in all of her life.

"I'm tired," he told her, leaving the walking stick by the door. She nodded slightly. "Let's go lay down," he whispered. She followed him to the bedroom. His bedroom. It was the same, oddly the same for the time that had passed. A picture of them as teens-practically children-remained on the night table.

He sat on the edge of the bed before easing his legs under the covers. Then he reached out and patted the bed beside him. Carefully, without even jostling the mattress, she climbed over him and rested her head on the pillow. She breathed in deeply, taking in his scent.

"Careful, you'll snuff up all the dust in this room," he teased quietly.

They each lay on their sides, facing each other. His eyes closed, but she watched as his chest continued to rise and fall with each of his steady breaths. She closed her eyes and pretended she was sleeping with him. She flinched briefly when his hand reached out and grabbed hers. His fingers loosely wrapped around hers. She lifted the corner of her mouth, in a small smile.

"I love you, Jacob."

"I love you, Bella."

"I'm sorry, Jake. I'm sorry for never giving you the chance you deserved. For letting Edward influence me. For not realizing the blessing the Spirits had given me before it was too late."

"I know, Bella. Shhh, let's sleep now."

* * *

"I guess Grandpa Seth was right," a voice whispered at the door of the room.

"What's the weird smell in here?" another voice asked.

"I don't know. Uncle Jake still feels warm. They couldn't have died that long ago."

"Did you check her? Is it her? Like Grandpa Seth said?" the girl asked.

"If Grandpa Seth was right, she won't have a heartbeat, stupid!" he hissed at his sister.

"How do we know if it's her?"

"Look at her! The picture on the nightstand! That's the same woman. She hasn't even aged a day. It's so weird."

* * *

"Hello, from the other side," Jake smiled at Bella. She smiled at him. He was young. Healthy. Beautiful. Together they walked into the unknown.

 **I would love it if you left some feedback. Did you listen to the song while you were reading?**


End file.
